Montana FWP moving bison

[Elkaholic daWg]

May not be the right place for this but I thought some might be interested


Citizens for Balanced Use
FWP moving bison
Dear Jim,

 
CBU received a call this morning from the Associated Press asking for our comment on the FWP moving bison to the Fort Peck Reservation today. I was caught off guard by this news as we were not aware of an agreement between the tribe and FWP having been signed. The Associated Press told us the agreement had been signed on Friday.

 

 
It was stated at the FWP Commission meeting that the Commission would be able to review the agreement prior to any transport of bison. I feel confident the Commission has not seen the agreement as promised by Director Maurier and the shipment of these bison within such a short time of an agreement being signed clearly shows a lack of transparency within FWP.

 

Our attorney has just filed a motion for a restraining order with the court . The Judge in Blaine County is holding court in Valley County today. We have forwarded our motion to his court in Valley County. People interested in this issue may want to visit the Valley County Courthouse this afternoon to attempt to get information on the movement of these bison.

It has been reported to us that several roads in Northeastern Montana are closed today because of the weather. This may slow down or halt the shipment of these bison for a short time. I am again reminded of the following statement by Director Maurier at a meeting of the Environmental Quality Council on March 17th, 2011;

"Bison once roamed Montana but that is not the case today. Ideally Bison should have free range but we are not there yet."

Today shows a complete disregard by Director Maurier and the FWP for the rule of law. The Director made his views and agenda clear at the EQC meeting and it seems he will do everything he can to spread bison throughout Montana regardless of the damage they will do to private property or the disease they potentially spread.

Environmental groups have made their position on cattle and grazing very clear. They want all cattle removed from the land,

 

[PlateauNDN]

Sounds like they are going to be arriving any day on the Fort Peck Reservation.

Pure Strain Bison Returning to Fort Peck
 

By Jack McNee lMarch 16, 2012

If all goes to schedule, the Fort Peck Reservation in northeastern Montana will be receiving 68 bison from Yellowstone National Park on Tuesday, March 20. The governor of Montana and some attorneys still need to sign off on final papers but Robert Magnan, Fish and Game Director on the reservation, is hoping March 20 will be the day.
 
“I’m overwhelmed that the bison will be back home again, Magnan commented. “It started in 2007. It’s been a long six-year struggle.”
 
Fort Peck already has a buffalo herd of some 200 animals but there is a small but significant difference in these Yellowstone animals. These are the only remaining genetically pure and free ranging wild bison in the U.S., the same animals which covered the western plains two hundred years ago and numbered in the millions.
 
These animals have been in quarantine since 2004 to guarantee all are free of brucellosis and other diseases. The tribe will continue the testing program for several more years. The Fort Peck reservation has a 4800 acre area fenced to contain these bison and to keep them separate from others already on the reservation. Wildlife officials estimate the carrying capacity of these 4800 acres at about 150 bison.
 
Fort Peck is home to two Indian Nations, Assiniboine and Sioux, and several bands and divisions. Fort Belknap, home to both Assiniboine and Gros Ventre Nations, is slightly west of Fort Peck and also has a small buffalo herd. It will later receive half these Fort Peck bison provided that adequate fencing can provide the assurance that the pure strain animals have no opportunity to join with the existing animals. Their ultimate goal would be to have a herd numbering 1,000 genetically pure bison.
 
Fewer than 50 free ranging bison still existed in Yellowstone in 1902. Today that number stands closer to 4,000 which stretches the park’s carrying capacity and causes animals to leave the park boundaries where hunters kill some and ranchers get concerned about the possibility of cattle herds being infected with brucellosis. Over 3700 have been killed in the past 15 years alone. On the good side, it does provide a source for some Indian tribes, once they are considered free of disease.
 
Many tribes have a long cultural and spiritual connection to bison dating back thousands of years. The plains tribes in particular were very dependent on bison for survival and the opportunity to return these pure strain bison to lands they once roamed in tremendous herds is an exciting possibility about to become reality.
 
It’s been described as a “win-win proposition for the tribes, the state of Montana, and the millions of Americans nationwide who want bison back where they belong,” in a recent news release from the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). Despite that, there has been heated opposition from livestock groups and others to confine bison within Yellowstone with the fear that brucellosis from bison could infect cattle operations outside Yellowstone’s boundaries. While a significant percentage of bison would test positive to brucellosis, indicating it had been in contact with brucellosis but not meaning it is infectious. Rich Day, director of the NWF office in Missoula said in a recent release, “Not a single documented case of brucellosis transmission to cattle has ever occurred in the wild.”
 
A big bull bison can weigh as much as a ton and stand six feet tall yet run 30 miles an hour, spin on a dime, and jump a six foot fence. Cows weigh about half that of a bull but are still impressive.
 
Robert Magnan added, “I’m very happy we get to see them come home, back to the plains. I think it’s the start of a new beginning for our people to see these genetically pure bison back on the plains again.”

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2012/03/16/pure-strain-bison-returning-to-fort-peck-103216

[JODakota]

This pretty cool, I hope it works out well!!

[Elkaholic daWg]

 Sure Looks Like CBU does not like this Idea, and most likely for good reason. Y to Y maybe. The latest from them


Citizens for Balanced Use
FIND THOSE BISON
Dear Jim,
 
The Judge has ducked out the back door without
reviewing our motion for a restraining order.

Law enforcement is willing to stop the bison at the County line if we can find those bison trucks.

The news has reported the bison were loaded this morning and should arrive in North eastern Montana this afternoon.

Secretary of Interior, Ken Salazar is quoted as saying this is the first step in establishing free roaming bison once again in Eastern Montana. Remember Salazar and his leaked emails to establish the 2.5 million acre Treasured Landscape National Monument.

One of the secret emails mentioned the question as to whether Governor Schweitzer's land would be included in the monument. It looks like FWP Director Maurier, Governor Schweitzer, and Secretary Salazar are all above the law.

If you see these trucks, contact CBU
406-600-4228
We will try our best to save Montana

[PlateauNDN]

So my question is this?  What legal precedence are they planning on using to stop/block the trucks?  If a judge is not granting a restraining order, nobody within the States Fish and Wildlife are opposing and neither are elected officials, where is this group getting there authority to block the trucks from delivering the bison?  So the L.E. that the CBU is speaking of is going to illegally detain and infringe on a legal transport of livestock just because they don't want them?  If they did and I was a Fort Peck Elected Official I'd be looking at a big cash payout for the Tribe by this group and anybody involved if they unlawfully and illegally stopped the trucks. 

[6x6in6]

CBU firmly believes that these bison have brucelosis, even though they have been in quarantine for going on 8 years and have received a barrage of testing.

[JODakota]

So my question is this?  What legal precedence are they planning on using to stop/block the trucks?  If a judge is not granting a restraining order, nobody within the States Fish and Wildlife are opposing and neither are elected officials, where is this group getting there authority to block the trucks from delivering the bison?  So the L.E. that the CBU is speaking of is going to illegally detain and infringe on a legal transport of livestock just because they don't want them?  If they did and I was a Fort Peck Elected Official I'd be looking at a big cash payout for the Tribe by this group and anybody involved if they unlawfully and illegally stopped the trucks.

 

[pianoman9701]

So the CBU claims brucellosis  is present after these animals have been in quarantine for several years and tested frequently? Either they're worried about their ranches and the damage/loss of graze from bison, or they've got some serious issues. It's probably the first of the two and I can understand someone who's already got wolves eating their cattle angry because they are now looking at competition with their cattle for food. It's their livelihood, I get it.

From a conservation standpoint, I think it's awesome. The bison is one of the few big game animals that have not rebounded with strict conservation measures in place, mainly because of habitat loss. It's such an incredible symbol of our country and as Plateau shared, it so important to the Indian nations there.

I doubt the brucellosis theory, but I definitely think the ranchers should be compensated for any losses. That has probably been promised, but as with the wolf, where will the $ come from? Tough issue. Cool freakin animals, though.